Careful management before flowers leave the nursery: mastering the topdressing methods for edible fungi
As the Spring Festival approaches, flower sales have entered a golden period. During the period before flowers leave the nursery, the quality of management directly affects the flowers' "salability," and growers should take measures to care for them carefully.
Temperature: Because the temperature during transport and in the sales area is relatively lower than the greenhouse temperature, in order to let the flowers gradually adapt, growers should carry out a cooling treatment 7-14 days before the flowers leave the nursery, slowly lowering the temperature by 5°C. The low-temperature treatment before leaving the nursery not only enhances the flowers' stress resistance but also extends their shelf life in the sales area.
Flowering regulation: For flowers supplied specifically to the Spring Festival market, mastering the flowering time is crucial. Taking Phalaenopsis as an example, it is best to have 3-4 flowers open when they go on the market. To grasp the accurate marketing time, the key is to regulate the temperature for forcing flowers well. If the temperature is too high, the flowers will bloom too early or too quickly; if the temperature is too low, the flowers will not bloom when they leave the nursery, which will affect flower sales. In addition, different flowers have different temperature requirements for forcing, and different varieties of the same flower also differ. Growers should carry out flower-forcing treatment before marketing according to the actual situation. It should be noted that temperature-sensitive flower varieties should have the forcing temperature lowered, while temperature-insensitive flower varieties can have the forcing temperature raised.
Watering: Before flowers leave the nursery, water control management should be carried out, that is, appropriately reducing the number of waterings, and stopping watering 2 days before transport, so that the potting soil remains slightly dry. Water control management has two main effects: first, it facilitates transport; second, it prevents flowers from being infected by gray mold during transport. Fertilization: Flower fertilization should follow the principle of more before and less after, that is, during the bud formation
stage, appropriately increase the amount of fertilizer to promote bright flower color and large blooms; before leaving the nursery, appropriately reduce the amount of fertilizer and lower the fertilization frequency to slow down their metabolic rate and extend the ornamental period. In addition, the fertilization before flowers leave the nursery should be determined according to different flowers. For example, before Phalaenopsis leaves the nursery, fertilizer application must not be neglected; sufficient nutrient accumulation and a well-developed root system are the guarantee of a long flowering period.
Light: Light intensity can be regulated according to the actual condition of the flowers. Varieties that need flower forcing should have light enhanced, and varieties that need flowering control should have light reduced. Enhancing light during the bud formation stage helps flower coloring and promotes large, brightly colored blooms; after the flowers open, light should be reduced to prevent excessive light from causing the flowers to fade and affecting flower sales. Before Phalaenopsis leaves the nursery, light intensity should be maintained above 20,000 lux to achieve good coloring. Light-colored varieties of Cymbidium have weaker light requirements, while dark-colored varieties have stronger light requirements.